The world's smallest species of buffalo has been born at Chester Zoo.

The rare lowland anoa calf was born to mum Darcy after a 10-month pregnancy, weighing just 7kg and standing around 50cm tall. Fully grown, anoa reach only about one metre in height.

Zookeepers have revealed the newborn is female and have named her Mentari, meaning "the sun" in Malay.

Now two weeks old, Mentari has ventured outside for the first time, with the milestone captured on camera.

Lowland anoa are found only on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, where habitat loss and hunting have pushed the species towards extinction. As forests are cleared for agriculture and mining, populations become increasingly fragmented and vulnerable.

Conservationists at Chester Zoo say every birth is a significant boost for the endangered species.

Emma Evison, team manager at Chester Zoo, said: "She's already showing plenty of personality and seeing her take those first steps outside is a real privilege - it's something very few people will ever get the chance to witness.

"Every anoa birth is hugely important for the future of this endangered species."

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Fewer than 2,500 lowland anoa are believed to remain in the wild, with the species listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) - the second highest priority on the scale before the species reaches extinction in the wild.

Chester Zoo is part of an international conservation programme working to protect the species.

It has been part of a global conservation effort to protect the anoa for more than a decade, alongside three other threatened species in South East Asia: the banteng, babirusa and Sumatran tiger.

Amy Humphreys, South East Asia field conservationist with Chester Zoo, recently brought together conservationists from around the world to develop species recovery plans, including increasing anoa numbers through conservation breeding programmes in zoos.

She added: "Our aim is to make sure the precious genetic diversity of these amazing animals is not lost forever.

"To do this, our plans include scientific monitoring of anoas, new local education programmes in Indonesia, raising global awareness of the threats anoas face, and coordinating conservation breeding programmes.

"This new calf, born as part of that international effort, will now go on to play an important role in protecting the future of her species."